“I feel like I could do better and my grades don’t exactly reflect my true abilities,” junior Nardos Assefa said.

Several teachers thought that with the use of Atom Time this year, students would take advantage of the extra free time to seek help with any teacher or class they were having trouble with. Students with below average grades were assigned to the class and teacher they were struggling with.

“The scores were a little lower than the first quarter,” ESOL teacher Georgiana Tomisato said.

Each quarter gives every student a chance to improve. Students that are displeased with the grades they have received for second quarter still have third and fourth quarter to improve.

Although some were unhappy with the outcome of their report cards, others were happy with the grades on their report card for second quarter.

“I improved in all my classes for second quarter. I’m pretty happy about that,” sophomore Danny Alfaro said.

Couple’s Date

There is no more classic or cute way to go on a date than simply going out to dinner and then catching a movie with your significant other. Georgetown has several different places to eat, such as Johnny Rockets and Moby Dicks, which are sure to fill you up. Georgetown also recently opened Serendipity 3, a restaurant mimicking the one featured in the movie Serendipity. But, be sure to hold off on ordering dessert at the restaurant, because if you walk just a little farther down towards the Potomac River, there is a movie theater. There, you can both grab a few sweet or buttery snacks and relax for the rest of the date.

Serendipity 3: 3150 M St NW, Washington

D.C., DC 20007

Double Date

Double dates can go one of two ways: they can be entertaining and fun for all or they can be awkward and boring. In order to avoid dull silences, you and your significant other should go out with a couple that both of you are close friends with also. If you’re feeling competitive, you can split up into teams as couples for a night of bowling or board games. Just remember to relax, as double dates are meant to be fun and carefree and allow you to connect with other couples.

AMF Annandale Lanes: 4245 Markham St.

Annandale, VA 22003

Study Date

Your bed is begging for you to crawl back in it and a new episode of your favorite show is about to air; there always seems to be something distracting you from getting any work done. Getting out of the house can eliminate distractions and even motivate you to be productive. Call up the student in your class that you have been crushing on and ask to meet up to study for an upcoming test or work on a tedious project. Pick a place that is close for the both of you, offers free Wi-Fi, and has enough space to handle all of your schoolwork while also leaving enough privacy for your date.

Panera: 5578 Vincent Gate Terrace

Alexandria, VA 22312

Girl’s Night Out

Alluring dress, glittery jewels and high heels make up the perfect outfit for a night out with your best girl friends. All you need to do is get together with your group of girls and make a dinner reservation. Set a date in advance to make sure everyone is free. You should also establish a dress code beforehand so that you all know how classy or casual to dress. Then choose a restaurant to meet up at, like one of the Great American Restaurants (including Silverado, Costal Flats, Sweetwater Tavern and more). Between school and sports, finding time to hang out and catch up with your girls can be difficult. A girls night out allows you to take a break from your hectic life and do just that.

Guy’s Night In

Order your favorite pizza and heat up some popcorn; it’s time for a guys night in. Whether you prefer football, hockey or basketball, there is always a game on TV for your group of guys. Call your best guy friends and pick a house to meet up at – preferably one with a large, flat screen TV and home theater speakers. You can represent your team by throwing on a jersey or going all out with team gear. You can be as loud as you want with your friends, yelling cheering on the same team or rival teams. After the game, head outside and start a backyard bonfire to calm down and warm up. A guys night in is a cheap way to relax and have a good time with your guy friends who enjoy the same things you do.

This restaurant doesn’t have many branches in the area, making their Salvadoran meals, like their location, extra unique. Upon stepping in you can hear different types of Hispanic music playing, from bachata to salsa and merengue. The waiters primarily speak Spanish, but they also speak English and are very kind. If you end up sitting close to where the food is prepared you can see your entire meal being fixed, in the kitchen.

Besides the average soda and coffee that most restaurants offer, Dona Azuceña has four different types of Hispanic drinks, including horchata, tamarindo, maranon and melon con pina. The horchata, made from mainly from almond nuts and sesame seeds, is one of the most well known drinks in El Salvador and definitely one of the best overall.

While their menu may not be packed with a large selection of entrées, everything is quite filling. If you are a steak lover, then the carne de res asada is certainly for you. The plate contains a big, well-spiced piece of steak, traditional yellow rice and a choice of either salad or beans as a side along with two tortillas for $9. The second entrée on the menu is yuca frita o salcochada con chicharon, or in other words, fried or boiled cassava with pork chops, for $5. The pork is a bit overly chewy, but the crisp fried cassava is very good.

Even if you are not in the mood for something too big, there is pan con pollo. This is basically a Hispanic version of a chicken sandwich. Lastly, the sopa de mondongo or tripe soup, is only served on weekends

What this restaurant is most known for is their mouth-drenching pupusas, which are served four different ways. There are pupusas made of only cheese, cheese with Salvadoran plants, cheese with beans and cheese with green squash/zucchini. These cost only $1.50 per pupusa.

If you are not already full from just your entrée and have a sweet tooth, try a delicious pastry which include quesadillas (cheesecake), budin (bread pudding) and empanadas de platano con leche (plantain turnovers filled with milk-pudding). It is the perfect way to end a great meal that will fill you up, enrich your cultural taste buds and, overall, make you happy.

Location: 6961 Hechinger Dr,

Springfield, VA 22151

The ForceField FF headband was invented by Dr. C. J. Abraham. The headband was invented with the intention of preventing concussions without taking away from soccer techniques. Although the headbands were made with soccer players in mind, other athletes, such as basketball and lacrosse, wear them as well.

Junior Paige Britton got her concussion at the end of lacrosse season her sophomore year when she was hit in the head by the ball after someone missed a pass. She got another one in the summer when she was hit in the head with a lacrosse stick.

“I didn’t want to get another concussion and [the headband] looked like a good solution,” Britton said. “I think it looks fine, and there is no difference in my performance.”

The headband reduces the risk of injury, has an airflow system and absorbs sweat.

“It is a safe solution to concussions,” Britton said. “Although it can’t stop concussions, it definitely helps prevent them.”

Driver’s Education teacher Patrick Hughes recalled the worst injury he has ever seen while coaching basketball, when his daughter Kelly separated her kneecap.

“In terms of injuries, we’ve actually been quite fortunate,” Hughes said. Hughes recommends staying in shape, getting enough rest and working different muscles by doing a variety of exercises in order to prevent injuries.

“Athletes returning from injuries should continue to do exercises and whatever skill needed for their sport possible,” Hughes said. “Sometimes the biggest thing that stops them is what’s in their head about the injury. They get hurt and come back and are hesitant to perform at as intense of a level as before, so sometimes it’s more of a psychological impact.”

Torn ACL changes sports forever

It was a normal day at soccer practice for junior Matt Del Signore when he went for the ball at the same time as a teammate.

“The next thing I knew, I heard my knee pop and I fell to the ground in pain,” Del Signore said.

“I wasn’t able to play soccer my sophomore year and I had to run with a knee brace during cross country,” Del Signore said. “My leg is a lot weaker so it gets tired more easily and I can’t swim breaststroke.”

Del Signore completed physical therapy with athletic trainer Kathy Ayers before undergoing surgery. After his recovery, he took up physical therapy again.

“Before, I couldn’t do any activities involving planting [my feet] or cutting, but now I am back to full health,” Del Signore said.

Del Signore says the positive effect of his injury was the scholarship he won. His doctor’s office held a Facebook contest that nominated four patients. Teachers and friends of Del Signore helped him win by promoting the contest through e-mails and Facebook links.

By garnering the most votes, Del Signore received a $500 scholarship for himself and a second $500 for AHS’s athletic training room. “[The injury] definitely makes me more cautious of myself and others while I’m playing sports,” Del Signore said. “I take injuries a lot more seriously now.”

Major concussion changes outlook

Senior Kim Rowland got her first concussion her sophomore year during a field hockey game against Lake Braddock. The ball was hit by a Lake Braddock player, causing it to pop up from a stick and strike her in the head.

“My first concussion was a definite diagnosis,” Rowland said. “I could tell from the moment I got hit that I had suffered a concussion.”

Rowland has had two major concussions, and has also experienced concussion-like symptoms that have lasted for a day or two after hitting her head. Her first concussion took her out of athletic activities for nine months, while her second took her out for one.

“When I got my concussions, the biggest effect I had was irritability,” Rowland said. “I didn’t act like myself. I got headaches every single day and was sensitive to light and noise.”

Rowland does not recommend participating in a lot of physical activity while you have a concussion.

“The only thing you can do to recover from a concussion is rest,” Rowland said. “Nothing else.”

“I am now very cautious when playing sports and get nervous when things come close to my head,” Rowland said. “It has stopped me from playing soccer completely because it is not good for me to be heading balls. I feel like I can’t be the same type of athlete as I was before my concussions because I have another important thing to worry about and to keep an eye on.”

I am a proud adherent of Reform Judaism. However, my God is not the God that the sign alludes to. Neither is it to the God to whom my Muslim friends worship. And of course, it is simply an offense to my peers who have decided that faith should have no role in their lives. In fact, it is not an allusion to the God who most of my Christian friends worship. To all of us, this sign alludes to a God only supported by ultraconservative Christian fundamentalists, whose God vilifies any person who intends to create a separation between church and state.

Moreover, this sign is a violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. Manifest in the words “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,” the Establishment Clause prevents government from favoring one religion over another. This sign is a clear establishment of religion, offending all of those who are protected from government interference with their respective religions.

However, even if this sign alluded to a God who I believed in, it would have no place in a public school that contains adherents (and non-adherents) to a multitude of religions.

I can’t believe that students as diverse as those at AHS must be subjugated to such a God every day.

In June 2002, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals banned the recital of the Pledge of Allegiance from all public schools. Shortly thereafter, on July 1, 2002, the Virginia legislature passed a set of laws that required schools to “prominently display the national motto ‘In God We Trust.’” Thus was the birth of the sign that haunts us today.

I am ashamed of the fact that I live in a state that prides itself on marginalizing minority religions. Whether through the endorsement of days of prayer (passed in 1997) or the inhibition of students’ religious freedom, Virginia seems to pride itself on being “God’s state.” However, I hold a hope that the culture of Richmond has changed in a decade.

To those fundamentalists who might be reading this column, I write that you have every right to worship such a God, but not to impose such a God on others in a public building. I have worked in political advocacy to ensure, no matter the degree of interpretation, that you have a fundamental right to openly worship such a God. But I have fought against attempts to invoke such a symbol over the heads of unassuming students, and will continue to do so.

At an institution that prides itself on fostering diversity (the reason for which the First Lady visited us), it is simply ironic that Virginia facilitates such a law. While it would be illegal to take down the sign that holds a dark reminder of the perpetual violation of our precious separation between church and state, it is necessary to make a change. Such a course of action can only occur through legislation in Richmond. Therefore, because it is legislative season the year before an increasingly important election, such a change can and should be made.

Otherwise, Virginia might continue to live up to its self-proclaimed reputation as “God’s State,” which casts a negative image on us all. However, there is still time. As students, we are told that we have limited access to politics. Contact your representative, and tell him or her that the God you believe in (or do not believe in) belongs in your personal life, not as a framed motto in the entryway of a public building. In doing so, you will defy such fallacious social constraints.

Our right to religious freedom, ultimately, depends on it.

As a teenage girl, however, I think I’m more likely to ignore these words than anyone else.

I’ve never had an issue with my weight before. I was always healthy, but this slowly started to change once I began having a thyroid problem in seventh grade that threw off my metabolism. From there, this inner battle between myself and the mirror seemed ongoing, as after losing the weight, I entered high school with a weight gain that increased my size 4 jeans to a size 12.

I joined field hockey my freshman year thinking that I could find myself there, but soon discovered that it would be better not to continue it than deal with boys supporting the rival team making sumo wrestling noises at me whenever I ran by.

I was better at faking sick, staying cooped up in my room and tuning out the world by blasting songs and dreaming of the day when I could finally be out of here and really start my life than dealing with people at school. I didn’t want anyone to have to see me when I was secretly so unhappy with myself. I found that what I used to love to do—sports like swimming, going to friend’s houses, taking pictures and performing the songs I wrote onstage—became a burden because I didn’t want anyone to have to see me when I was secretly so unhappy with myself. I wasn’t putting in as much effort as I was used to in school. Instead, I took a lot of this effort and somehow put it into dwelling on myself.

Every day I said I would do something and finally follow through on what I wanted to do and accomplish, but I’d find myself waking up feeling horrible and going to sleep crying. I even tried one of the worst things you can do for any amount of time: not eat. But pushing my plate away at dinner and only packing a piece of fruit for lunch made my family catch on, and the worry built up for them as well as the problem persisted.

It would take a long time before I could finally realize what I was doing to myself, and this summer I finally was able to do something about it. After all of the wasted time taking this energy and pitting it against myself, I worked hard, educated myself on the proper way to maintain myself and carried out what I always wanted to do: come back to who I am through shedding the layers (both physical and emotional) that had held me in the state of not feeling worthy of anything.

At times I still find myself slipping back into that twisted mentality where I’m not good enough, or pretty enough, or thin enough to let people see me—especially people that I’m afraid will judge me if I lose myself again. Even though I may want to throw my blanket over my head and take a “sick” day at times, I have to tell myself how hard I worked through this everyday struggle to maintain the confidence I’ve found in myself again.

I have to remember how I battled through those moments when friends would eat ice cream or other treats in front of me and I had to refuse them with a polite “No, thank you. I’m not hungry.” I have to remember the times when I was so unhappy with myself that I skipped out on pool parties or wore baggy shorts over my swimsuit just so no one would judge me and I wouldn’t have to focus on judging myself.

But I know who I am now and have come to accept all of the qualities that make me, me. I am big-boned, caring and have a big heart. I’ve found a way to tune out what I thought defined me–what other people think or say–and have finally found the beat to my own drum.

But I’m not asking for a pity party. Instead, I want the rest of us to find it in ourselves to believe that we are worth it and that we owe ourselves the confidence and acceptance that makes us who we are. Variety and difference is what makes the world beautiful, especially as teenagers trying to discover who we are in it.

After all, it was William Shakespeare himself that wrote, “All the world’s a stage and all the men and women are merely players.” And now when I step on that stage, I know it’s the real me looking back at the world, eye to eye, never to turn away again.

Although Wattenbarger is looking forward to going to college, he is going to miss AHS football. Moving on to college is a big step for everyone, and it takes a lot of hard work and preparation.

“I am not fully prepared yet, but I will be when the time comes,” senior Adam Wattenbarger said.

He has played football since his freshman year. Throughout his high school career, he has played many different positions. He has played quarterback, punter and free safety. Playing all of these positions and working hard throughout these years is what has gotten him to this point.

“I have played my heart out on the field,” Wattenbarger said.

Wattenbarger has overcome many obstacles, such as being hurt and being asked to play many different positions.

“We have asked so much of him on the field, and he has always delivered,” coach Mike Scott said.

Throughout the years, Wattenbarger has been dedicated to working hard, on and off the field. He was hurt this season, and he still managed to pull through and succeed in the end.

His coaches think Wattenbarger has set an example for all athletes. He has shown, through his actions, that hard work and dedication pays off.

“He’s going to do great next year. He is a hard-worker and a good student,” Scott said.

Massanutten is a nearby resort known for its snowy slopes. For over 40 years, Massanutten has offered skiing and snowboarding from its current 14 operating trails.

“I’ve always wanted to go snowboarding,” senior Sam Kamara said. “I enjoy the thrill of going downhill, and I enjoy speed.”

Aside from skiing and snowboarding, the resort offers snow tubing. But don’t worry about hiking about the approximate 1,110 foot mountains. There are quad-chairlifts at the start of each trail to carry you safely to the top after each slippery ride to the bottom.

For beginners, there are both skiing and snowboarding classes. Massanutten has a specially designed Pathway Program for first-time skiers and snowboarders, which allow them to learn the activity within two separate one-hour coaching sessions in a group.

“My favorite part [of skiing] is after I learn how to turn so I don’t crash into things. That’s always nice,” freshman Peter Scheible said.

These sessions, including slope use and equipment rental, cost $46-66 for an 8 hour session and $34-60 for a 4 hour session. Check online for further details about these classes and information about private lessons.

Although most of the snow covering these icy slopes is artificial, the chilly air and crunchy, white ground can replace the winter season that was skipped over this year.

Location: 1822 Resort Drive

Elkton, VA 22827